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Not Sick, Yet Not Well

Question: Dear Luise: I am not sick, yet I’m not well. I’ve had several health problems this year that are over and done with but they have left me totally worn out. I went to my doctor to see if I was anemic or getting diabetes or something but my blood work came back totally normal. He did a complete physical and I passed with flying colors. I feel like I want to be active but every time I go someplace, I am all worn out the next day and don’t even want to get out of bed. I’m not talking about something strenuous, I’m referring to going into the city and having lunch with a friend…something like that. I feel like an invalid but I’m not. I’m not a kid any longer but I’m not over-the-hill, either. What can I do to help my self. Thanks, Belinda

Answer: Dear Belinda: What a bummer to be well and feel good and have no zip. You did what I would have done, and that was to be sure there wasn’t some underlying or untreated problem. Smart move in my book.

One of the things I have found difficult about the aging process is the subtle energy level changes that occur in most of us. We keep adjusting to what we can comfortably do now as opposed to what we used to be able to do. Right along with that comes a slower recovery process and people of advanced age often don’t ever get back where they were before their fall or illness.

A confusing issue in all of this, for me, is that physical exercise helps us recover our lost energy, yet it feels like we have to recover before we can do any physical exercise! When this happens to me, I try to sneak up on it. By that I mean I take short easy walks and gradually work up to longer, faster ones. That’s my first suggestion. I’ve found that a mini-iPod is worth its weight in gold when walking. They can be researched and purchased at apple.com. Mine is an iPod Shuffle and only cost $69.00. My music is walking CDs from Dr. Ken Cooper’s site at mywalkingmusic.com. Once I get back in shape, I use the intermediate stride of 126 steps per minute. At first, however, I just meander.

In addition, you might want to see a good naturopath about supplements. They can test you to determine what you may need. Self-prescribing is often unwise and leaves you taking way too many and/or not the right ones. I feel it’s wise to build yourself up nutritionally after an acute or chronic illness.

Along that line, I especially like a natural food supplement called “E3 Live” that you can buy frozen. It is a form of algae and is full of all kinds of wonderful vitamins and minerals. It is shipped from its source, which is Klamath Lake in Oregon, in insulated containers so it arrives still frozen. Click here if you find that interesting.

Here’s to better days for you beyond “not sick, yet not well.

Blessings, Luise

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About Luise Volta

Luise’s long life has brought her to being the great grandmother of four teenagers. Born in 1927, the miles in between her teens and theirs have been full of falling and getting up, learning and growing and then falling and getting up again. A normal, though not simple, process.
She has had diverse careers in nursing, teaching preschool, interior design, Real Estate sales, insurance adjusting and dairy herd testing. She’s lived in the Mid-west, South and West Coast. Luise is married to the love of her life, Val, born in 1911. Their little terrier, “Rosa,” makes most of the major decisions at their house, (or thinks she does).